by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 5 programs for Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual scores each program on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
University of Delaware tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Newark, DE, University of Delaware is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $13,537, against $13,537 in expenses. The school awards about $24,002 in athletic aid per athlete.
Loyola University Maryland landed the #2 spot for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Loyola University Maryland is a private not-for-profit school based in Baltimore, MD. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,176, with expenses of about $6,176 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,638.
Niagara University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Niagara University is a private not-for-profit school based in Niagara University, NY. Team revenue averages $13,684 per participant, with expenses of about $13,684 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $17,462.
Saint Francis University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). Based in Loretto, PA, Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $14,899 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $14,899 per participant. Athletic aid averages $13,253 per athlete.
University at Albany came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Outdoor Track and Field (Division I). University at Albany is a public school based in Albany, NY. Team revenue averages $9,317 per participant, against $9,968 in expenses. The school awards about $13,856 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.